Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Things I'm Loving Right Now

L'Occitane Shampoo and Conditioner - When hubby and I spent a night at the luxurious Heathman Hotel in Portland, we were treated to L'Occitane bath products...and I've been hooked ever since. When I found a 50% off special on their shampoo and conditioner, I decided to splurge! Truly, I can tell a large difference between their products and my usual L'Oreal and Pantene - my hair is smoother and softer, with a soft sheen. It looks so good that a quick blow-dry is all it needs - no curler, iron, etc. To stretch out my enjoyment (and mitigate the $18-per-bottle price pain), I alternate it with my normal products.

Verde handmade soap by Bonghinatura - I've reviewed this soap before on my blog so I won't go into too much detail again, but just had to include it! It's a rich glycerin soap that lathers incredibly well, leaving my skin soft with no residue. Best part for me, however, is the crisp mint-and-lime scent. Like combining a mojito with a margarita! I think it's the perfect "welcome summer" scent, refreshing and light - and I'll enjoy it all summer and into the fall.

Benefit's Hello Flawless powder foundation - A new pressed-powder foundation that people seem to either love or hate. Me, I love it! I previously used Bare Escentuals foundation, but found it too light a coverage at times - and the powder didn't travel well. However, with my oily skin, I hate using liquid foundation as it just doesn't look natural (and applies oddly). So Benefit's formulation is great for me. The powder glides over my skin and absorbs oil well. The compact travels without mess. Best of all, you can change the coverage - a light dusting with the brush, or heavier application with the sponge, or somewhere in-between. Like Bare Escentuals, it's not cheap - thank goodness I have a hookup for a discount!

My BlackBerry Curve - Yep, I'm officially a CrackBerry addict. The convenience of checking email and surfing the web anytime, anywhere...how can you not get hooked? As a small business owner, however, I've truly found it invaluable; I can make buying decisions on the fly, and never have a "get home and regret it" moment again! I can check real time resell values on eBay while holding an item in a store, I can research an unusual brand name (is it an up-and-coming designer, or some dead-end line from Target?), and I can respond to customer questions within minutes, rather than hours. All of this is greatly helped by the Opera browser I added (for free!) - the standard BlackBerry web app being rather lackluster.

Handmade jewelry is an art, a science - and a pain in the butt! Particularly when you have a family, a job, and bills to pay. I'm still navigating the internet sales component...join me as I flounder along.